Records

Haveli

India – circa 1920 – deep in the Rajasthan desert – a stunning Italian inspired structure is built in the tiny town of Bagar.The Piramal Haveli was commissioned by wealthy merchants to honor the visit of the Maharaja of Jaipur, who rode through the specially designed Piramal Gate to great fanfare on elephant back.Nearly one hundred years later, in January 2013, the Haveli was transformed into a recording studio for the purpose of capturing the innovative sounds of an exciting new project – The Three Seas. The resulting album ‘Haveli’ is available on Yum Yum Tree Records. On ‘Haveli’ listeners can expect a soulful, song based repertoire with a diverse array of voices and unusual instruments, no Tabla’s or Sitar’s here.Many of the grooves were generated from the sounds of traditional Baul instruments like the Khamak, ektara and dubki. The Piramal Haveli itself played a huge part in the feeling of the music made there.Recording engineer Richard Belkner (Free Energy Device) set up his portable studio in various locations throughout the building, which then naturally provided the amazing ambience heard on the album.Some of the beautiful sounds include the deep resonance of the merchants hall, the shimmering reverb from the tiled washrooms, the peaceful atmosphere of the courtyard, and the eerie calm of the chambers at night.